Saudi Women to get the Vote

[Haris]

Saudi king says women will
get vote

Women will be allowed to vote and run as candidates in municipal elections
for the first time from next year, King Abdullah said in a major victory for
liberal opinion in Saudi Arabia.

Although they are still not allowed to drive, women will also be able to join
the majlis ash-shura, Saudi Arabia’s appointed consultative assembly, the
king said in a speech opening the body on Sunday.

The changes however will come too late to affect municipal elections, due
on Thursday, which have been delayed by two years.

“Because we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply
with sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ulama
[clerics] and others... to involve women in the Shura Council as members,
starting from next term,” the king said.

“Women will be able to run as candidates in the municipal election and will
even have a right to vote.”

Khaled al-Maeena, the liberal editor of the Arab News newspaper, said that
he was not surprised by the king’s decision because it has long been
expected.

“The king is a realist… He is very much concerned about Saudi Arabia. He
feels that if it is not on the train of progress then it will be left behind,” Mr
Maeena said.

Mr Maeena pointed out that in 2005 on one of his first trips abroad to
China, King Abdullah took a party of business people including many
women. In February 2009 he has also appointed a female deputy minister
of education.

“Saudi women are not different from women elsewhere in the Muslim
world…. The pace is slow but I feel that the king’s statement today will
really enhance women’s participation in all fields,” Mr Maeena said.

Although viewed as a liberalising force, King Abdullah has been careful to
maintain the support of the conservative religious establishment and of
members of his ruling Al Saud family.

In March, two months after popular revolutions erupted in North Africa and
began spreading across the Arab world, King Abdullah delivered a speech
that disappointed democracy activists by ignoring calls for increased
political participation. Instead, he pledged large amounts of infrastructure
spending and salary increases for civil servants, and made criticism of
religious scholars a criminal offence.

Saudi Arabia has largely escaped the unrest that has riven the Middle East.
A day of rage organised by activists in March failed to materialise.

The kingdom held its first municipal election in 2005 when voters selected
half the seats of 178 municipal councils. The poll was seen as a step
towards democratic reform, but also a response to western pressure
following the September 11 2001 attacks on the US.

But in 2009, the government postponed the local elections “to expand
participation of citizens in management of local affairs”.



Saudi king says women will get vote - FT.com

[retro]

The Arab spring has forced the Saudis into giving Saudi women the vote and implementing secularist reforms. However fear not as the hypocrites will soon be back to exporting retrogressive, Wahhabi barbarism to their servile Asian vassals.

[Levanaye Zalmaye]

So Saudi women have now finally been elevated from the level of camels in their own country.

What surprises me, however, is the absence of unknownprince and checkmate here. Why aren't they here to condemn this most heinous act? I mean, it's the right to vote today and tomorrow, they'll want to dance naked in our public squares. We have to draw the line at some point. This is a sign of Yaum ul Qayamah indeed.

[checkmate]

So Saudi women have now finally been elevated from the level of camels in their own country.

What surprises me, however, is the absence of unknownprince and checkmate here. Why aren't they here to condemn this most heinous act? I mean, it's the right to vote today and tomorrow, they'll want to dance naked in our public squares. We have to draw the line at some point. This is a sign of Yaum ul Qayamah indeed.

Islam afforded equal rights to women, and respect and dignity.

Prior to Islam, Arabs would kill baby girls. Women were regularly abused by their husbands. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) brought equality, outlawing such practices. Women were also allowed to reject marriage proposals, be entitled to half of their husbands income aside from their own. Hijab brought them protection.

The problem in Saudi Arabia, is they could not fully impose Islam over tribalism. whether that is good or bad is not of debate, as it disproves your attempt either way to tarnish Islam which in fact is more about giving women rights than the secularism you ascribe to in which women are seen as sex objects, and degraded as such. Women are made to feel liberated dressing half-naked and being objectified by men. That is your secularism trash.

Prior to the rise of the Taliban, women/girls were raped by armed thugs (most who were ex-Afghan communists). The Taliban principally arose to protect these women/girls from harm. The Taliban are back due to the same disorder and crimes that are being committed. You ask why they implemented such strict Sharia rule, well thats your answer. Under the Taliban, over 200 girls/women attended medical school. Girls schools were run, but under strict protection and separation from men. According to interviews, many girls felt safe to study. Afghanistan was in chaos as much back then as it is today. The chaos gave rise to the Taliban, and is the same reason they are back today in the vast majority of the country.

On the contrary, the secular trash poison allowed all crimes to be committed against women.

Verily, as Afghanistan is freed, these secular and opportunistic criminals ought to be detained, and permanently placed in concentration camps. This is the path to peace in Afghanistan, and the region. These criminals are the supporters of bloodshed of the Afghan people, and this crime can not and must not escape judgement. The end of this war does not mean the end of ensuring criminals are brought to justice for their complicity in supporting war upon Afghanistan.


Their crimes against the Afghan nation are numerous. Not only is treason and sedition high on their list, but complicity in the crimes against Afghan people, children, women and elderly.

Do not frame something on baseless lies.